Another Year
by Gigi Rose
Summary: Ron confesses his feelings for Hermoine to Ginny and asks for advice, but someone who shouldn't hears his words. (R/Hr....duh) Please Read and Review!!
1. The Truth

Pre-7th Year  
The Burrow

Chapter 1 ~~ The Truth

  
  
  
  


"Ginny?" Ron called out. "Ginny?"

He went up to her room to see if she was there. "Ginn--ah ha!" He saw her lying in her bed.

_She must have woken up sick or something this morning_, he thought.

He went over to her bed, pulled up a stool from a nearby desk, (Well, if you can call it a desk. It was really just an old table Ginny found. One of the legs was broken and Mrs. Weasley had put a charm on the table to keep it upright.) and sat down beside the sleeping girl.

"Ginny?" he whispered. "I really need to talk to you." Ginny made a groaning sound; Ron took it as a sign that she was awake.

"Ginny, it's about Hermoine. I think......I think...well, I just don't know. And I just can't talk to Harry about it, cause he just wouldn't understand. And I don't want him to get worried about my petty problems, or me, because he's got enough on this plate as it is, you know? Anyway...Ginny, I think, well, lately.........this is kind of weird talking to my sister about it, but......well, lately I have been seeing things in a different light, to put it plainly. I've being seeing a lot of things differently. I've been thinking about school and life after school and my friends and my family and everything. And...well, I've been thinking about Hermoine. She's...she's changed, you know? I guess she hasn't, but I've changed, and I've realized a lot over the past year. And I think...I think...I think I might have feelings for Hermoine."

Ginny made a gasping sound.

"No, don't sound shocked, Ginny. I'm sure you have noticed it in me. I mean, we're all changing. Harry, Hermoine, you, me...we're just......different. We aren't the same little kids we once were. And I think we need to realize some stuff. And, well, I have realized that I do have feelings for Hermoine, and I don't think I can hide them anymore."

Ron took a moment to breathe and waited for Ginny to say something. She made no sound and Ron found it odd that she wouldn't turn over. She must really be sick, he thought.

So he continued with his babble.

"But, Ginny, oh what do I do? I can't tell Harry. Think of what it would do to him! Me and Hermoine are his best friends, and we can't make him the third wheel. It would be just too weird! So, Ginny, I have come to you. I need help!"

There was no response.

"Ginny? Ginny, why are you facing the wall? Are you okay?"

He stood up and leaned over the bed; he placed his hand on the girl's shoulder and rolled her over.

"Ginn-"

He froze.

It wasn't Ginny in Ginny's bed.

It was Hermoine.


	2. The Laughter

Pre-7th Year  
The Burrow

Chapter 2 ~~ The Laughter

  
  
  
  


The expression on her face was that of someone who had gotten caught opening a great Christmas presents three days before the occasion.

The expression on his face was that of someone who had just dropped a bomb in the wrong place.

"Her...Hermoine?" Ron said after about thirty seconds of silent but noticable shock. "Wh...what are you doing here?"

Hermoine was trying so hard not to giggle at the look on Ron's face, and trying not to cry or laugh or faint at what Ron had just confessed. She sat up in the bed and took a deep breath.

"Ginny invited me," she said as calmly as she could. Ron didn't respond, so she continued to explain her predicament.

"Well...we...we were going to go get gowns together......for the ball this year. Umm...it's for 6th and 7th years,...you know? We were going to go to London today, but then Fred's daughter got sick, and so Ginny went over to his house to help out. I...I was really tired from my train ride here, so she insisted that I stay here and rest." 

Silence. 

"So......How are you, Ron?"

There was no reply. He just stared at her, amazed at how calm she was, or how calm she seemed, at least.

_How can she be so calm?_ He thought. _I mean, did she not hear what I just said? Maybe she didn't! Maybe she just woke up when I turned her over. Maybe she doesn't know! ...... Maybe I'll become Minister of Magic......_

He didn't realize it, but Ron just sat there staring straight into Hermoine's eyes.

_Why is he staring at me?_ She thought. _I can't believe he's not trying not to look at me, after he what he just said._

"R...Ron?"

"I...I...I'm good," he finally said. "What are you doing here?"

Hermoine gave a little laugh and adjusted her position on Ginny's bed.

Ron suddenly realized she was wearing nothing but an oversized nightshirt. His face turned red.

"It's...okay, Ron..." She laughed nervously again.

_Why does she keep giggling?_ He thought. _Yeah, my face must be red, but it can't be that funny!_

He decided to break the silence, well, except for the occasional giggle. "Umm...well, I guess I'll be going now, so you can rest."

_No! Don't go, Ron._ Hermoine thought. _Please don't go..._

Ron stood up and walked slowly to the door, careful not to turn around and look at her.

She couldn't let him go.

"Well, you know, I got a good rest, and I feel a lot better now. Why don't you stay?" She turned red at what she had just said. "I...I mean, I...I would love to know what you've been doing all summer..."

_What am I saying?_ Hermoine thought.

_What is she saying?_ Ron thought. _Why would she want to talk after...after what I said? Unless..._ An odd squeak, that may once have been a gasp, escaped Ron's mouth.

He walked back towards Ginny's bed and sat down on the stool he had taken from the desk.

**CrAcK!!**

Ron was on the ground sitting on top of what had been a small, three-legged, wooden stool.

Hermione giggled, and Ron gave a slight chuckle. Their laughter grew and grew until Ron was sprawled laughing hysterically upon the floor. The top of the stool was in two pieces, one was underneath him where he would have been sitting on it, and one was under his right hand. There was a stool's leg under his left knee, and all the other pieces were strewn around the room as if a small whirlwind had come through. One of the stool's legs ended up outside the door and in the hall. Hermoine was lying on Ginny's bed shaking with laughter. The blankets were everywhere, and Hermione's right leg was hanging off the side of the bed.

  


When he finally stopped laughing, Ron got up and, leaving the stool pieces to rest, picked up Hermoine's right leg (she felt her stomache lurch at his touch), moved it aside, and sat down on the bed.

"So, Ron," she began, and the boy could sense a bit of nervousness, "let's try this again. How are you?"

Ron looked down at the girl in the bed. The blankets were everywhere around her. She had one leg under the covers and one exposed. She had laughed so hard that she shook, and her nightshirt had shifted; he could see the tip of one of her shoulders, and the other was covered to the neck. Her hair fell upon the pillow and crowned her face, where soft curls had fallen.

Without thinking, he gently pushed away with a single finger a strand of curls that had fallen in front of her eyes. She smiled.

He almost melted.

  


_She is just perfect._ He thought. _She looks so gentle and so soft. I can't imagine this wonderful creature could ever hurt anyone or even raise her voice._

He smiled at the thought. Ron knew from first-hand experience that Hermoine was exactly the kind of person who would raise her voice. He seemed to have forgotten what a total idiot he had just made of himself by telling the wrong person his troubles. He could only think of one thing.

_How do I make this moment last forever?_

"I'm good," He said. "Really good..."


End file.
